Raiders Free Agency Tracker: Live rumors, news and updates on signings with $111M in cap space originally appeared on The Sporting News. Click here to add Sports News as your go-to source.
Entering this offseason, no one has more money than the Las Vegas Raiders.
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Free agency week is here, and it’s a safe bet that the Raiders will be looking to a variety of available free agents to add to a roster that’s in need of a lot of reshaping. They also acquired next month’s No. 1 pick, which they expect to use on quarterback Fernando Mendoza from Indiana.
Of course, the Raiders didn’t wait until free agency to start the offseason. They’ve traded Max Crosby to the Baltimore Ravens for two first-round picks. (Update: As of Tuesday night, the Ravens have rescinded the trade.)
This expands an already large amount of open cap space, and now the world of free agency is theirs.
More: Check out our complete NFL free agency tracker here
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There are certain areas of the Raider that don’t require upgrades. QB is one of them, and Mendoza is about to take over. RB is another, with Ashton Jeanty drafted last year. Young star TE Brock Bowers also fits this mold.
Almost everywhere else, the Raiders can improve. That would make the ongoing free agency market particularly attractive.
It definitely makes sense to make a move at wide receiver to give Mendoza the best chance to succeed.
We’ll be keeping track of everything happening with the Raiders right here.
More: Travis Kelce reveals why he didn’t retire and sign with Chiefs
Raiders free agency rumors, news, live updates
Refresh latest. Times are Eastern Time unless otherwise stated.
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Wednesday
3:55pm: The Jets signed Raiders offensive lineman Dylan Parham to a two-year, $20 million deal, according to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport.
3:37 pm: The Raiders will lose defensive back Lonnie Johnson Jr. to the Miami Dolphins in a free agent deal, insider Jordan Schultz reports.
1:20 pm: NFL analyst Kevin Massare had a great reminder on the X: “Clearly NFL free agency needs another reminder. The game doesn’t end at 4 p.m., it starts then. There are a ton of players who are unsigned right now, which will help a lot of good football teams this year.”
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11:20 am: Even after the chaos with the Ravens, the Raiders haven’t given up on their trade offer for Maxx Crosby.
8:40 am: The Max Crosby trade and the Ravens’ follow-up — they now appear to be pursuing Trae Hendrickson , which would add a strange flavor to their options out of the Crosby trade.
7:30 am: It’s worth noting that the Ravens have made a move similar to Maxx Crosby’s shocking move at least three times. Whether they are actually connected is obviously less certain.
7 a.m.: Wednesday morning’s news regarding Max Crosby suggests he’s ready to stay with the Raiders.
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6:45 am: This is a big day in the NFL’s free agency process. There is actually no official deal yet. At 4pm ET (1pm PT) on Wednesday, the contract becomes official and players can fully join their new teams. That’s when the team will start making lots of announcements on social media. This is also the day many releases around the league become official, which could create the potential for more trades.
Tuesday
11pm: Some good news: The Raiders likely won’t need to change any free agent signings to clear salary cap space for Max Crosby to return (at least temporarily).
10:45pm: Max Crosby’s agent is unhappy — and it’s just so infuriating.
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9:55pm: One thing worth noting is that the Raiders may have more moves coming soon, as some releases aren’t really being addressed until the start of the league year on Wednesday. This will impact available players and cap space.
9:35pm: The Cowboys are not expected to re-trade Maxx Crosby at this time, according to Dianna Russini of The Athletic.
8:05pm: Shocking. The Ravens have backed out of the Max Crosby trade with the Raiders. It’s not clear why, but it changes a lot.
7:20pm: One potential veteran quarterback on the market: Teddy Bridgewater returns to the Lions via Ian Rapoport.
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5:20 pm: If any team wants to get weird by adding a running back, it’s Devonta Freeman looking to make a comeback in the NFL. But he’s 34 years old, so that’s a big deal.
4:50 pm: The Raiders are expected to “explore veteran quarterbacks who could be potential stopgap starters,” according to The Athletic’s Michael Silver, who added that Mac Jones won’t be who they end up selecting.
4:40 pm: Bengals free agent Trey Hendrickson is on the prowl and is apparently getting inquiries from all over. Will the sleeper team show up? stay tuned.
2:15pm: The Raiders have traded Geno Smith to the New York Jets, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter. Vegas received a sixth-round pick and also sent a seventh-round pick to the Jets.
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1:50 pm: Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer breaks down one of the reasons why Tyler Linderbaum became Vegas’ key signing: “With new head coach Klint Kubiak Kubiak’s offense, the plan also values athletic forwards who can move in the zone. Lindbaum is a perfect fit in both areas, and his football IQ should help ease the transition for presumptive No. 1 overall pick Fernando Mendoza.”
10:45 AM: As the free agent tampering window continues into day two, here’s the thing to note: Things are definitely going to be slower today. Players who don’t sign right away usually don’t sign right away for a reason. Either they really take their time on purpose or they don’t have the interest they want. There will be more deals coming, but they may be extended over the next few days.
9:45 am: Statistics shared by ESPN show that the Raiders handed out contracts worth $283.5 million on Monday.
8:35 am: Vegas will likely get busy again on Tuesday after adding a few players on Day 1.
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7:55 a.m.: The Raiders placed two contract tenders via Over The Cap: “Raiders applied original RFA tender to Thomas Booker IV. Standard RFA tender to Jordan Meredith.”
6:45 am: There are some key things to note as Tuesday begins. Free agency will operate much the same way today as it did on Monday. This is still “legal tampering” time. The deal won’t be formalized until Wednesday. There are still plenty of free agents on the board, so more news should emerge throughout the day.
on Monday
11:30pm: It was a solid first day for the Raiders. There may be more initiatives in the future.
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10:30pm: An earlier signing, per Jordan Schultz: Malcolm Coons will join the Raiders defense for one more year and Jordan Schultz signed a one-year contract extension.
10:10pm: The Raiders have a new kicker. They have signed Matthew Gay, according to NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero.
6:19 pm: Kenny Pickett will leave in free agency, once again joining the Carolina Panthers via Schefter.
6:02 pm: Linebacker Quay Walker joined almost immediately after Dean, leaving the Packers and coming to Vegas via Ian Rapoport.
6:01 pm: The Raiders acquired linebacker Nakobe Dean from the Eagles on a three-year deal, Adam Schefter reports.
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4:38 pm: According to Adam Schefter, the Raiders added a pass rusher from the Colts by signing Kwity Paye to a three-year, $48 million contract.
4:27 pm: After a few big moves, the Raiders went quiet. There’s still a lot to do and a lot of names to sign.
2:20pm: The news that Mike Evans is leaving the Tampa Bay Buccaneers for the San Francisco 49ers is shocking. This also officially rules out the possibility that Vegas could end up with Evans.
2:15pm: The Raiders struck again. They signed WR Jalen Nailor from the Vikings to a three-year, $35 million deal, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter.
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1:46 PM: The Raiders made a splash. Ravens center Tyler Linderbaum signed a three-year, $81 million contract with the Ravens, making him the highest-paid interior offensive lineman in NFL history. Adam Schefter reported the transaction.
12:10 noon: The Raiders retained Eric Stokes. According to Ian Rapoport, it’s a three-year, $30 million deal designed to keep the former first-round pick in Vegas.
12 noon: The NFL’s legal tampering period begins. Insider reports on agreed signings will be released soon. No agreement can be officially signed until Wednesday.
11:10 am: Mike Evans is reportedly considering leaving Tampa Bay. If Evans is willing to take the risk and play with a rookie quarterback, he would be an excellent target for Fernando Mendoza.
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10:50 am: The negotiation window opens at 12:00 PM Eastern Time (9:00 AM Pacific Time). At that point, rumors will quickly start to emerge.
Raiders free agent signings
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Matthew Gay signed as the Raiders’ new kicker on the night.
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The Raiders signed Malcolm Coons to a one-year contract extension.
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Soon after, Quay Walker from the Packers joined the team as another linebacker.
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Another defensive upgrade: Nakobe Dean enters the linebacker room from the Eagles.
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Kwity Paye joins to bolster Indy’s pass rush.
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Jalen Naylor joins the wide receiver corps. He was a great slot player in Minnesota, but he was overshadowed by Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison.
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The Raiders found a spot under center for their new quarterback. Ravens’ Tyler Linderbaum agrees to three-year deal and up to $81 million.
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Eric Stokes remains in Vegas. He was reportedly sentenced to three years in prison and received $30 million. The deal won’t be finalized until Wednesday.
Raiders free agent losses
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The Raiders traded Geno Smith to the New York Jets on Tuesday.
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While not signing elsewhere, trading Max Crosby to free agency over the weekend could become a franchise-defining deal for the Raiders and Ravens. (Update: The Ravens backed out of the deal. It’s unclear what will happen next).
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Kenny Pickett signed with the Panthers, leaving Vegas after they acquired him from the Browns in a mid-season trade.
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Lonnie Johnson Jr. has signed with the Dolphins to play in their secondary.
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Dylan Parham heads to the Jets to play on New York’s offensive line.